Shattered
by The Akuren Princess
Summary: The Three-Shot Sequel to Reason's Chapter I: Sasuke's struggle to come to terms with the "death" of his Nii-San Chapter II: Itachi's struggle to regain a "normal" life in Konohagakure Chapter III: The EPIC conclusion! Each of the chapters will have a summary at the beginning of each chapter! READ AND REVIEW! On Hiatus


**THIS IS THE FIRST PART TO THE SEQUEL TO REASON'S, A THREE-SHOT! ENJOY :3**

This three shot will be Sasuke's journey to understand everything that's happened, Itachi's struggle to regain his place in Konoha, and the epic conclusion to this second part of the story, well...you'll have to wait, I know, so evil of me.

The third part of this Trilogy, will be released after the three parts of Shattered have been released. It will be the final conclusion to this story.

Be Patient with me please, **I do** have the whole thing almost completely written, **but** I am waiting on my readers **REVIEWS**, and thoughts on the story. **Without them, I WILL NOT post anything more.**

**I also ask you to please read my other story Intention's, and leave your reviews :3**

**Arigatou, Aishiteru my readers Ja Ne!**

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**Summary**

Sasuke's journey to find himself, sort out his thoughts, feelings, emotions, and to configure a plan to get revenge on those who made his Nii-San's life, total and utter hell as a missing - nin. Within you will find, Karin's desperation turned heartache, Sasuke's self despair - turned to determination, and Juggo's love for birds turned love for birds :p

Enjoy :3

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**_Shattered_**

**I DO NOT OWN NARUTO, KISHIMOTO MASASHI DOES!**

Two weeks, it almost took him two weeks to come up with a plan to destroy Konaha's council, those responsible for his Nii-sans dath, and anyone else who ever betrayed the Uchiha. In his mind the memories were on replay - Itachi's final words, the massacre he stumbled upon when he was little, the blood, the look of love and pride that shone in Itachi's eyes for him on his death-bed where he had inevitably put him, and so much more. Every single one of his ideals that he grew attached to and convinced himself were the truth over the years since the massacre, had all shattered on the roof of the abandoned Uchiha Complex that rainy evening.

The Uchiha complex and the place where he'd left his elder Nii-sans body to die alone in a cold grave, were one in the same. It was however, also the place where he left his former self, the self so filled with vengeance and hatred for his elder, that he couldn't see past the veil of red that obscured his vision. The old Uchiha Sasuke, the life hating, "Emo" boy, who craved his brothers death, died that night and in its place a stronger, mature Sasuke stood, and it was all thanks to Uchiha Itachi who gave everything for him before that fateful night, and the Uchiha Itachi who had died to give Sasuke the life he planned for him. Everything Itachi did was for him, and he now understood the concept of his Nii-Sans ultimate truth.

The facts of the Uchiha's dark past that erupted from his Nii-Sans bloody mouth that night that lead to his Nii-Sans demise, had utterly annihilated Sasuke's thoughts and beliefs of the past he thought he knew, the thoughts of his elder after the bloody night of the Uchiha clan massacre, the emotions he'd felt up until the moment he left Itachi to die alone, or the way he'd allowed hatred and revenge to rule his life and shape the way he existed up until last night. All of these events, had inevitably occurred within the past twenty-four heart-wrenching hours of Uchiha Sasuke's life.

All events leading up to this moment were the genesis of Itachi's plan for Sasuke after he died. These events also provided the facts that allowed for the shattering of the mirror that reflected his past life's ideals that had created the man he was now. They had also, inevitably ushered him down the path he now traveled in life. These facts which Itachi gave to him in confidence utterly destroyed what little pride remained within Uchiha Sasuke.

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The simple fact was, Uchiha Sasuke couldn't forgive himself. He was a child trapped inside his now matured body. Alone and scared in this world, the only person he loved was now eradicated off the face of the earth, and it was all his fault. Sasuke would never turn to Uchiha Madara no matter how much he craved for the company if another Uchiha. His Nii-San forced him to promise him after hed unveiled the Uchiha's dark past, struggling to breathe, that hed never to go to Uchiha Madara while he still stood on his own power, and even if he wasn't able to stand, he'd do everything in his power he could to stay out of Madara's grasp.

With no one else to turn to, no place to call home, he organized his thoughts and formulated his future plans. Within the time frame of that week and a half, his team which consisted of Karin, Jugo, and Suigetsu had caught up to him. All three landing on the same branch he had about a half-hour prior.

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As soon as they had and Karin had laid her eyes on him she leapt towards him, relieved he was alive. Sasuke barely catching his infatuated red headed teammate, wrapping his arms around her at the last possible moment. Karin surprised the emotionless Uchiha heir, when she brought her knees up and locked her legs around his lower body.

The intimacy of the moment brought fourth memories of one Haruno Sakura to the forefront of his mind. Dropping his face down to the crook of her shoulder, he breathed in her scent shakily, wishing that it was his Cherry-Blossoms instead of Karin's. His arm's tightened around her, as memories of the night when he'd left his Sakura on a bench in Konoha the night he abandoned the village on his power hungry quest Invaded his mind.

His heart hurt from the memory, and because his lips were so close to her ear she heard the words that broke her heart. "Sakura, onegai forgive me, Aishiteru Sakura, I am so sorry Sakura, I was so stupid, onegai forgive me..." his voice quiet enough so the Jugo and Suigetsu could not hear, but it was loud as it sounded in Karin's ear. She could tell from the strangled whisper that he was in anguish, tormented by these thoughts and the actions taken in his past that had led him to this moment.

This sudden confession of Sasuke's, shattered the fantasy Karin had been living for the past year. Un-willingly she unwrapped her legs from around the man she loved, her heart heavy. Feeling her feet touch the branch, she held him in her arms, as he held her tightly to his chest. Karin's mind and heart not wanting to accept the facts that she was learning, the fantasy shattering at the words he whispered, leaving her broken and empty. It was that moment when she knew she was not, and could never be the person he loved.

His admission also set in stone the facts she had been denying all along. 1) She annoyed him more that anything with her constant swooning over him.2) No matter how much she wished to be her stoic leaders lover, it would never be. 3) Regardless of whatever the future may hold for her, and the hurt she felt at his admission, he needed this. It was clear to her what she now had to do. Pushing her own wants, needs, and fantasies involving a future with said Uchiha aside, Karin continued to hold him. Who was she to deny him the peace that they all knew he was in great need of.

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Twenty minutes had passed since she leapt into his arms and he had been holding her. He lifted his face from the crook of her shoulder, un-wrapping his arms from her and taking a step back. The movement forced Karin's arms to fall to her sides, a blank expression on her face, tears swimming in her eyes. Snapping out of it, blinking several times to disperse the gathering of saline in her eyes she faced her leader, her shoulders back and head held high. "Karin" his voice held no traces of emotion which added another weight on her already burdened soul. She waited for him to speak slightly inclining her head to acknowledge that she had indeed heard him. "Arigatou" his one word response, which allowed a tiny beam of light to enter her rapidly darkening world.

Karin accepted the fact she would never be with Sasuke with grace on the outside for all to see, but on the inside she was dying, her heart feeling battered, and her acute brain frozen in time. Suigetsu and Jugo observed the exchange between Sasuke and Karin silently, not wanting to interrupt . Sasuke glanced at Suigetsu using his peripheral vision, a silent message that was instantly intercepted, and understood by the Shark-toothed boy. Once Sasuke got the nod, he turned his full attention back to the redhead in-front of him. Speaking out loud to her so the others could hear he expressed his thoughts.

"Karin, I am sorry, as you know I do not have any feelings for you now, nor have I ever, I left my heart with someone in Konoha the night I abandoned the village. She is the one I love and I cannot return your feelings to you. However, there is someone that loves you, and the time will come when you will realize it. I will protect you Karin, you are a member of this team and I will not fail you as your leader. Please lean on me, use my strength to carry you though the hard times. I promise you it will get better, I know, because I killed my brother earlier this month, and he gave me the information I had been deprived of till now. I am free from the hatred of myself, of my Nii-San. I know he loved me, everything he did during his life as a missing ninja, was for me. I couldn't see it, all I could see was my hatred for him, I was blinded by it. Now I have to live with this regret, pain, and the knowledge that I was the one who murdered him. It will serve as a constant reminder of my sins, but because of his self sacrifice for my well being, I can return to the village where the one I love waits and because of everything that's happened I will be known for slaying the threat that was my elder brother, and protecting the village." he took a breath, calming himself and then continued "Please, Karin, don't give up on life, I cannot love you as you wish me to, but I can love you as a leader, and as a brother." he finished, his eyes soft as he looked at her.

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Karin broke at his confession, flinging herself at the man she desperately loved. Her legs refusing to support her as she clung to him, her face buried in his chest, tears streaming down her porcelain face. He held onto her arms and lowered them gently to the ground until her knees gently touched down on the hard branch. Sasuke wrapped his arm around her lower back, his other hand going to the back of her head, cradling it for the briefest of moments before he gently ran it down the length, repeating the motion to try and soothe her. "Sa...suke, oh Sas...uke... I'm...so...so...rry, p...pl.. ple...ase f..for...give me" her voice strangled by tears. "It's alright Karin, I know, it's alright." his voice calm, and tender, his eyes held remorse for the young girl in his arms. "Arigatou Sasuke-Kun" she whispered out and when he heard the "kun" added onto his name he couldn't help but smile. Speaking again to Karin "Are you alright now, Karin? his voice slightly demanding, yet caring at the same time. When she nodded, he stood then extended his hand for her to grab so he could help her to stand. "If you two are ready as well" he drawled, gesturing to Suigetsu and Jugo who both nodded in response to his question. "Lets go then" he took off without another word the others leaping from the branch behind him, following his lead. They were never more united as a team than at this moment.

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As they slowly traveled towards Konoha; Sasuke suddenly stopped, which caused a collision between Karin's face, and his backside. Rubbing her nose to soothe it from the impact, her voice breeched the silence that surrounded them. "Hey what's wrong Sasuke-Kun? Silence greeted her, his refusal to answer worrying her, the encounter and darkness of earlier forgotten for the moment. "Sasuke, Doshite, onegai Sasuke you ca..." A raise of his hand silenced her and she looked at the ground to hide her tears. When he did speak, his voice came out in a tone his Nii-San would have been proud of. This realization, caused a wave of guilt to was over the stoic ever emotionless, now Uchiha-heir, that was Uchiha Sasuke.

The reason Sasuke abruptly stopped, was because he was having secondary thoughts, very dark secondary thoughts about assaulting the village. Dark thoughts that never should have entered his mind, were now manifesting in his brain. Scenes of the different outcomes of the assault against his home village flashed before his eyes: innocent civilians blood everywhere, men, woman and children shinobi reaching out to him because they saw him as someone they trusted while trapped in his Genjutsu before he snuffed out the faint flicker lights of their lives. He was angry at himself for becoming weak, allowing these thoughts to overrun him. As his breaths returned to their normal pattern and his heart slowed. Guilt stirred within him at the dark thoughts that overwhelmed his mind, body, and soul. He altered his plan the tiniest bit, calling Jugo, Suigetsu and Karin to land beside him to hear him out.

"Doshite" Suigetsu's voice cut straight to the point, he was never one to beat around the bush. His answer to Suigetsu's question came out in a cold tone "I've had a secondary thought to our plan to assault all in the village." "We will only be going after those who were responsible for putting my brother though hell, meaning the council. You are not to harm civilians, and the Nine-Tailed-Jinchuriki, Uzumaki Naruto is not to be touched or harmed in any way, shape or form. You are not to kill anyone who comes to stop us, though they will probably be coming at us with killing intent. Merely incapacitate them there will be no blood-shed of anyone who is not on our target list during this assault, got it?"Guilt stirred within him at the tone he had used, it being harsher than he ever imagined it would be. Sasuke was unaware that he had even used the type of tone his brother would be proud of until he looked at Karin, her face pale all the blood drained out of it, her body shaking, eyes unable to fixate and pupils dilating and undialating rapidly. He noticed her in shambles, 'the effects of my tones' he scoffed to himself, slightly disappointed when she buckled under him. They nodded in unison, the guilt of the previous moment gone, determination was renewed and they continued on their way to Konoha, to complete their leaders task.

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The rain fell upon them about a days worth of traveling to reach Konoha, forcing them to find some shelter. Sasuke using the rain as an excuse for time away in peace. Juugo, Karin, and Suigetsu looking for shelter from the storm, which was found in the form of a cave. Sasuke leapt from tree to tree, using the Chakra concentrated at his feet to propel him. The scenery was the same in every direction he looked, only natural for a forest. Karin was quite distraught when they returned to the tree where they'd left Sasuke. Only his Akatsuki cloak haning on a Kunai Knife, blowing in the wind was left. The branch was rather well protected from the rain but even so, Karin bein Karin, folded his cloak neatly and held it to her body under her own cloak, to keep it dry.

"Jugo, Suigetsu, please stay here for me while I search for him" was her only request before she vanished before their eyes, taking off at lightning speed. She hopped from branch to branch, using all her focus to zero in on her leaders Chakra signature. He'd stopped moving, and for that she was thankful for. She jotted down where he was in her mind, then retreated to Suigetsu and Jugos location, hoping that this time away would do Sasuke some good.

An Hour she was gone, in the process getting soaked on the outside, but she kept his cloak warm and dry. Her hair clinging to her head, glasses speckled with Rain and her face flushed from the cold. When Sasuke returned she approached him, unfolding his cloak, walking up behind him and slipping it over his shoulders. He nodded his thanks, slipping on the warm cloak over his own soaked clothes.

"Have you managed to find shelter?" his voice cut through the rhythmic pounding of the rain. "There is a cave about a mile north of here, its dry and we could rest there" Suigetsu stated, his grin evident on his face, he was enjoying the weather and found it rather invigorating. "Very well, lets go" was his only warning before he shot off the branch, headed north to their destination. Jugo, and Suigetsu taking off right after him with Karin lagging behind the three. "Sasuke..." she sighed out, before shooting off the branch and following her companions deeper into the forest.

They arrived at the cave, Sasuke immediately starting a fire, to keep the dampness out of the air and to prevent his companions from becoming ill. They settled in for the night, Sasuke casting a strong Genjutsu to prevent any unwanted visitors to the cave. Leaning against the cave wall he stood, lost in thought of one Haruno Sakura, Kunoichi for the leaf, and the woman who held his heart.

Sasuke dreaded coming face to face with Sakura on the battlefield, knowing that he wouldn't be able to hurt her because he loved her was a problem. This simple fact of the issue he faced, made his task of getting around her without a fight that much more difficult. He only prayed everything would go smoothly, and he and Sakura wouldn't have to meet for the first time in a year since Orochimaru's lair, as enemies on battlefield.


End file.
